Four-cornered contest in Kuala Kangsar, three-way fight in Sungai Besar

KUALA LUMP UR: The parliamentary by-elections for Kuala Kangsar, Perak, and Sungai Besar, Selangor, are fourcornered and three- cornered contests, respectively.

Bari san Na si on al, PAS, Amanah and an Independent candidate are contesting in Kuala Kangsar while BN, PAS and Amanah are in the battle for Sungai Besar. The nominations were held yesterday.

Returning officer Mi or Muhammad Jamil Mior Zakaria announced in Kuala Kangsar that the candidates there were Datin Mastura Mohd Yazid of BN, Dr Najihatussalehah Ahmad of PAS, Prof Dr Ahmad Termizi Ramli of Amanah and Independent candidate Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary.

Mastura is the widow of MP Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad who died in a helicopter crash in Sarawak on May 5, Dr Najihatussalehah is the Perak PAS Women’s chief and Prof Dr Ahmad Termizi is Kuala Kangsar Amanah vice- chief. The Kuala Kangsar constituency has 32,949 voters, comprising 22,496 Malays, 7,757 Chinese, 2,287 Indians, 330 Orang Asli, 16 Sarawak Bumiputeras and 13 Sabah Bumiputeras.

Returning of f icer Mohd Khairuddin Md Som announced in Sungai Besar that the candidates for that by- election were Sungai Panjang assemblyman Budiman Mohd Z ohdi o f BN, Meru assemblyman Dr Abdul Rani Osman of PAS and Azhar Abdul Shukur of Amanah.

The Sungai Besar constituency has 42,655 voters comprising 42,365 ordinary voters, 286 early voters and four absentee voters who are abroad. Polling for the two by- elections is on June 18 while early voting is on June 14.

The by- elections are being held following the deaths of the MPs, Datuk Wan Mohammad Khairil Anuar of Kuala Kangsar and Tan Sri Noriah Kasnon of Sungai Besar, in a helicopter crash in Sarawak on May 5.

The by- elections feature contest between PAS and its splinter party Amanah again after the Sarawak state election when they contested against each other in six constituencies, namely Samariang, Kakus, Muara Tuang, Sadong Jaya, Sebuyau and Beting Maro.

— Bernama photo Kuala Kangsar by-election candidates Dr Ahmad (left) with Dr Najihatussalehah (second right) and Izat (right). At second left is Mohamad Kamill, representative of Datin Mastura.

— Bernama photo Sungai Besar candidates Budiman (centre) raises his hands with his Sungai Besar challengers Dr Abdul Rani (left) and Azhar after their names were announced by the returning officer.